Utterly human sensations
by Lee majors come again
Summary: This is my first fanfic, so go easy on me please, heh. -Setting- After the final battle, the 7 ghosts (and some extras) have been living with Raki and have developed alien feelings. Heavy emphasis on intimate relationships, and Raki/Clare, but I'll keep it less descriptive. No Yuri/shoujo lol. Kind of a harem. Reviews? T for now. M later.
1. Chapter 1

*Disclaimer: I don't own Claymore

Chapter 1: Cynthia The one that just couldn't be...

It was a beautiful night that day as Cynthia lay down in a state of laxity. The stars in the dark never ending abyss that made her eyes sparkle so wonderfully were ever so clear. She was happy. Happy to be alive. Happy to be with her friends. Happy to be able to help...

...And happy about what she had just been able to experience.

She could honestly say she had never felt such a thrilling sensation. She hadn't done anything, honestly, she hadn't! She was just doing the routine search for food that Raki had to prepare. They really didn't need much to eat, but Raki was a big man. He stood over them by at least a full head and shoulders, and the tallest of them were only 4 inches shy of being 6ft tall. He was broad too. Not hulking like his buddy Galk, but he looked like strong warrior nonetheless. She let out a small sigh out of pleasure at the memories of his body.

Okay, so maybe she had done a little, but nothing she shouldn't tell Clare...

Her memories started to come back as she returned to the real world. She goes back to the events that had transpired before her current situation.

~Earlier that day, around sunset~

Mira sat down, in her usual pose "Cynthia, we've run out of food and we need some supplies. Go meet up with Raki. He should be in the woods chopping down trees and gathering firewood" commanded Miria. "Sure thing" replied Cynthia, in her usual elated expression. Truth is, they could've easily gotten the firewood themselves. It was just so boring for the young man to sit around with a bunch of girls twittling his thumbs. It was also a common misconception among people that Claymores were attracted to one another. They had no idea where people had gotten that idea because, if anything, they were trained to be asexual. It's too bad that Claymores were still human at heart, and all that training had been for nothing. Especially this certain group. Probably more human than most humans.

Bonds were created quickly between the Claymores and the young man. While they looked at one another as sisters or friends, they looked at him differently. With a strange interest they were not very familiar with. Like admiration or lust. Clare, however, was used to the feeling. The feeling of worry. The feeling of security. The warm fuzzy feeling she felt when he held her so tightly all those years ago. The tickling sensation of his lips. The conflicted feeling in her heart as she searched for him for seven years. She had barely gotten a taste of much, but she would never forget. Ever. If only he wasn't so small and frail long ago. If only he didn't remind her of herself, she would've been able to let her feelings blossom.

They send him off to go entertain himself whenever things get awkward or boring. Fighting him was not the only thing they could do, you know. Cynthia did as instructed and went out into the woods to meet up with the person of interest. He was such a charming lad.

"Hello there Cynthia, why are you out here? Don't you know the monsters come out around this time." He joked, with full knowledge that they are beyond him in every category.

Smiling, she simply ignored his little statement and went straight to business.

"Miria told me to come meet with you so we can catch some food." Silence fell upon the two as Cynthia stood kicking some dirt trying to avoid his gaze. He stared hard at her, trying to read her. He couldn't pick up a vibe, or at least that normal Cynthia vibe. He just scratched his head and chuckled in innocence.

She was such a Claymore.

"Oh. Well okay. Could you help me grab this tree here and move it on top of that first? I'm trying to build a cabin and this thing is too heavy for a single man." He motioned towards a sizable formation of tree trunks placed on top of one another.

"Uhhh, yeah... just let me..." Cynthia looked a bit nervous. Raki had not had on any shirt, and if he couldn't tell by her lack of words and constant fidgeting, it was a bit awkward for her. She just didn't feel comfortable around him, due to the foreign feelings that came with his presence. Usually a Claymore sees a naked person and doesn't bat an eyelash. It was just the awkward aura he gave her that made her a bit antsy, and now she was all alone with him. Her cheerful and welcoming personality just didn't mesh with the ties between him and Clare.

She held one end using her advanced strength to hoist it up. They trudged over carefully to the stack of wood in a square formation. "So how long have you been building this thing? It's up to my chest." She asked. Raki, a struggling noise in his tone as he made sure he didn't knock anything over, answered with "Ahhh, well, I've been working since dusk. I've been mostly chopping down trees for fun, heh".

"Sounds like a real blast" Cynthia noted sarcastically in an attempt to feel less tense.

It felt as if her and Yuma switched places for a day.

At that moment something had slipped and a ton of logs fell on Raki, one managing to swipe his head. Stuck under the pile and unconscious from the pretty huge log that caught him off guard, he would've been in an unfavorable predicament had Cynthia not been there. One by one she simply removed the trunks, making sure not to do anything stupid. Rather than bring his limp body through the woods, she decided it would be better to treat him on the spot. Clearing out a space, she used some of the cloth he had laying around at his little campsite to make a nice pallet(as he visited here often). As he lay there, she examined his body. She had learned enough about him to know that he was a good man. Always worried for them, eventhough he knew they were stronger than him. He had frequently spoke about his plans to protect clare and stay by her side. It made her giggle. If only Clare understood how lucky she was to have such a loyal consort.

'Starting a fire was a good idea' Cynthia thought to herself as she noticed the sky turning darker. She was not worried for herself at all, for she was a mighty Claymore. She'd been through a little more than just darkness. The crackling pops and snaps of the frantic flames left her ears in a state of serenity. Almost as if being invited by the flames, she gradually crept closer to Raki and sat down beside him. The flames dancing in the glistening reflection of her gorgeous silver eyes were not the only objects being mirrored. Raki was also in her eyes. Over the time he had speant with them, he was always optimistic. A joker even, something Clare had not been used to when he was younger. At times his demeanor would turn more serious, which could be seen in his sharp expression. Those eyes as strong as steel, signifying his ambition and will. Something she had come to admire. However, his face looked very peaceful during his unconsciousness. Like a sleeping boy.

She could feel her hand slithering towards his hair, yet she did nothing to prevent it. Instead, she just let out a soft gulp and thought aloud.

'Just one little touch...'

She longed to be like Clare. To be loved so much. Just one little chance to grab some of that elusive bliss... Her and Raki had been close, not Clare close of course, but close. They would sometimes talk to each other with hopes of trying to make one another feel better. Both having very similar attitudes when it came to conversation, they got along quite well. Too well. She found herself becoming more and more attached to him. Accustom to his voice. His smile. His face. Why did he have to be so damn close to clare? Thoughts such as those flooded her mind every time she was around him, and rather than being angry, she just couldn't cope with being so close. It was a dead end. An infinite loop. She was so confused with her heart that she just started refusing to speak around him. Of course this threw him off all the time, but he was a man. He had no idea what she truly thought. He just assumed that she didn't like him anymore, and just like that, they slowly drifted apart.

'It's only your fault.' She thought to herself. 'You're the one who got feelings for him. You knew he and Clare were always like that from the very beginning. You don't love him do you?...'

'No. So why do you want him?'

Sometimes she couldn't tell whether she genuinely liked him or just lusted after him. She knows he cares for her, and it's mutual, it really is, but he cares for them all. What made her so special?

She stroked his hair, with a gentle smile on her face. Slowly. She almost drew her sword when he had placed his hand on hers. She hadn't expected that at all. Instead she just looked pale and sat there. Quietly. She felt like snatching her hand back and running.

Then she just continued to stroke, despite knowing he was awake. Each slow pass becoming more sincere. She feeling a surprisingly new sensation come from her thigh, she looked down to investigate. Raki's hand was the gently caressing her leg he had helped ease the tension she had created earlier. He adjusted his position and started to wobble, obviously still feeling the after effects of being rocked earlier. It looked like a struggle wobbling on one elbow trying to keep your balance, so she had to help. Grabbing his face with both hands, she had the intention of stabilizing her companion. Her motives were good, but the outcome was not she would have originally wanted. Cradling his head a little too much, she pushed his face against her chest. She perked up in pleasure and in surprise. Her skin getting goosebumps... She had expected him to act irrationally. However, to her surprise, he began to rub her shoulders. The ice hot touch prompting her to squeel. Why was he doing this?

Without a second thought, she initiated the mouth to mouth. Kissing as hard as she could. It would as if like her goal was to suck his tongue out of his head. So much passion.

What had she done?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Gosh I really had not proof read that last chapter enough lol. That was pretty awful.

It was better than I thought, but those typos, and the subject jumping... Man... I'll try to limit that from now on. Anyway, I'm using my cellphone to do this, so it's hard to type. It's easy for me to update though :). Daily at the least.

*Disclaimer: Claymore isn't my property.

Chapter 2: Cynthia- A lustful moment

Cynthia's body was so sensitive. She grabbed at the cloth on the floor, she grabbed at his hair, she breathed heavily. Panting even. Deep, sensual heaves starting in her lungs escaped from her mouth. Moaning through his face almost. However, she was a bit concerned. His eyes had yet to be open, but his hands were still wandering about her body. It wasn't if it had mattered a huge deal. It was a bit perplexing nonetheless.

Her concerns were soon erased, as Raki had found a fairly pleasurable area on her lower back. Tightening up in the process, she put her arms around his shoulders and forcefully moved with him to the ground. Still sucking at his face wildly. This had prompted him to finally start returning the kisses. She pulled back in order to catch her breath, but he didn't give up. His hands placed themselves on opposite sides of her shapely hips. She didn't know where the hot sensation she felt in between her legs was coming from, but she absolutely loved it. On top of him, she ground her lower body into his. Getting closer and closer to the edge.

He broke away from the suffocating lip lock and decided to target another object. Just barely sucking on her ear lobes. She could her him whispering Clare's name lightly. Confessing his love to her.

_'Such an amazing feeling' _She thought to herself.

_'Is this what it feels like to be Clare?'_

_'... Like Clare...'_

_'Clare...'_

Her eyes widened in sudden realization. No wonder his eyes had not been open. He had no idea that this was Cynthia, not Clare. What had she done?...

But alas, it was far too deep now. While grinding her hips into his, she felt this heavy build up of pressure in her lower muscles. Violent contractions sending waves of pleasure all throughout her body. Similar to how the use of yoki felt. Except she actually enjoyed this and was not afraid to extend beyond the peak her body had brought her to.

It made her writhe and shudder. It made her scream and claw. It made her feel loose.

She simply fell besides Raki. Now in the here and now, her eyes looking up to the dark starry abyss above her. Her eyes glistening once more. It had honestly been, a good day...

But what would she tell her friends?

_'Maybe some things are better left as secrets,' _She reasoned.

With that, she drifted off to the wonderous land of dreams next to her "awkward" friend, joining with him yet again.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I'm sorry these stories suck, heh. You have to forgive me. I'm kind of a noob at this and it's pretty hard to type on an android with no spell check option or good proof reading system. I'll get better as time goes on.

***Disclaimer: **Claymore is not mine.

Chapter 3: Cynthia- Closure

Lips parting just slightly, allowing her swallow in the fresh breeze of the morning, Cynthia awakens. She was not at all surprised to see that Raki was still out like a light though...

She scanned her surroundings to make sure she had not been dreaming or anything. Glancing around the small campsite, she looked for: A shirtless sleeping man.

'Check'

Signs of a burning fire

'Double check' she thought with a bit of a giggle escaping into reality

A huge pile of heavy tree trunks

'Check'

A pallet of cloth

'Check'

The cloth would need a bit of tailoring here and there though...

She tried to move off of the pallet, but her body was so relaxed that she only managed to shift her positions. Instead of laying with her back on the ground, she now faced towards the odd character she was so fascinated with. Such an interesting person to listen to. The stories he told her about living with Isley and Priscilla, and how even though they were the two worst creatures to ever exist in the realm of Claymores, they were never cold hearted towards him. He had almost made her believe they were genuinely good people.

Also, the stories he told her about traveling together with Clare as a boy. About that crazy lady who tried to cut him to ribbons. As well as his departure from his beloved Clare, and the seven years of seemingly endless searching. Learning how to fight in order to survive and protect those he held dear to his heart.

Her hand began to travel towards his head again, however, this time she decided to intervene. She didn't want things to go any further than they already are. Steadily reminding herself of his relationship with Clare.

How would she explain to Clare that she had just tried to suck his face off, and on top of that, dry humped him until she was satisfied? She really didn't know, if you couldn't tell by the placement of her facial features. Her eyes wide and full of guilt, her brow angled in a puzzled manner. It was an expression she really didn't like to wear often, and besides, her stupid smile was ruining it anyway.

While fighting off the urge to place her hand atop Raki's chest, she noticed he had stirred a bit. He was probably waking up. Finally. It's a bit hard to believe that he had been able to sleep through all that.

Slowly coming to his senses, Raki finally began to speak.

"... Uhh... where are we?" But he had not gotten a response.

"Clare? Is that you?"... Now he had gotten a response.

"Umm, no it's not, it's me Cynthia. You know, the one with the pigtails? The one you used to talk to alot?" The tone in her voice was surprising for a Claymore.

"Ehhh? What are 'pigtails'? What's a 'Cynthia'?"

A strange silence fell upon the two, the same strange silence that always came between them. They should have been used to it by now. However, something had soon broke the silence.

*SLAP!*

The sound echoed through the forest, stirring up the birds. It sounded sort of like the crack of a whip. Like the kind they used to herd cattle. You can imagine the pain he felt being slapped by a Claymore. To think it hurt worse than being harpooned by parasitic rods. Not just in a physical sense either, but also in a mental sense, as his pride was hurt worse than anything. Ouch.

With that slap, she got off the pallet and stomped out of the clearing. You could almost picture the steam coming from inside her ears, and her face was redder than a tomato. He couldn't guess why apparently, because, seriously, he was just joking. Why had she struck him in the face? It's not like he meant to hurt her feelings or anything, so he just didn't understand why he deserved such cruel punishment. He sincerely wished all Claymores didn't treat humor with this type of reaction.

He got up and followed her while calling out her name, but it sounded distorted because of the way he gripped his jaw. As well as the swelling.

"Cynthia! Alright, come on, I was just playing around!"

"Why are you 'playing' around with me! Don't you have anything better to do? Like hang with more little girls?"

It was kind of true. After traveling miles with little Priscilla, he had rescued an entire base of Claymore trainees. It seemed that whatever girl he came in contact with, they became attached to him. It felt as if his pride was zapped by lightning.

"Why are you acting like this? At least tell me what happened. One minute you're helping me build my cabin, the next minute I wake up and my cabin is busted, and you laying beside me slapping the crap out of me."

The silence had tried to return, but this time he would not have it. He was not being made a fool of three times in one day.

"I'll tell you what. You come out and we can talk about this. Face to face, no running, no slapping, no sleeping, no joking."

"You promise?"

"I swear."

Just like that Cynthia appeared from behind a huge tree. He guessed it was her years of hiding from the long dead organization that had given her the skill to hide from him in such close proximity. How these women never ceased to amaze him was beyond his comprehension.

She once again tried to avoid his gaze by kicking the dirt on the ground in front of her. He stared harder than before, trying to understand what was going on. Some things just go way over his head, and even if he spent alot of time with girls in the past, women were still a mystery to him. He just couldn't get what her problem was, so he was pretty blunt when presenting the question.

"Do you have an issue with me or something?"

Surprised by his out of character agitation towards her, she spoke up.

"No. Not at all really. I just... I don't understand what it is about you."

"About me?"

"Yeah... you're such a great person to be around. I mean, I really enjoy your company, perhaps a little too much."

"What are you trying to get at?"

Okay, let's be honest, if he couldn't really get what she was trying to say by now, then the poor lad will never stand a chance.

"I guess you can say that... I really like you Raki."

That silence once more tried to creep it's self back into the fray, but he would not let it.

"Oh yeah? So what do you like about me?"

The si-

Nope. Before it could even try, he sat down on a log that was conveniently placed next to them and urged her to sit next to him.

He had mad game bro.

She moused towards the designated area, hoping to not make the situation any more awkward. Once again, she was within a rather pleasurable, yet extremely uncomfortable distance next to him. A person shouldn't this long in one day. It's probably not very good for their health.

"Umm... I like your hair, I like your smile... I like your arms... I like your eyes... Hmmm. I like your teeth, and your scent, and your muscles. Especially your mu-"

He cut her off by laughing pretty darn hard for someone who insisted on her saying these things. That almost earned him another slap. Had it not been for the arm he placed around her shoulders, he probably been sent through to forest.

"Not that kind of stuff." He told her through deep chuckles.

"I mean, what do you like about me. My attitude."

She had that unpleasant funny look again, but this time she actually giggled and replied.

"Oh yeah, heh heh, I knew that of course. I was just trying to see if you knew that I knew that."

"Riiiiggghht. Continue though, I want to hear this."

"Uhhh. You're really different from the other warriors around here. It's not just your 'not being a Claymore', but it's more like your heart. I've never heard of a human willing to die for a Claymore, or wanting to stay with a bunch of monsters. You make us feel so special. That heart of yours is unlike most humans I've came in contact with so far. It's a very peaceful heart indeed."

"...Go on"

"Oh... ehh... You actually like to talk to me. We can talk for hours about things and you just listen. There isn't much you say that is bad either, it's almost always something optimistic. I can feel open to speak around you without fear of being judged. I'm just not the kind of Claymore to sulk around over bleak situations, and you can see the good side of bleak things. It's perfect."

By now she was unknowingly resting her head on his shoulder. It was so calming and serene, the atmosphere. The beautiful cacophony of the winged vocalist that peppered the trees. It felt as if her head could melt into his body. She didn't want to mention Clare, but she needed to. So she bit the bullet and continued her anecdote.

"I wish I was Clare, Raki, did you know that?"

"I probably should've by now" He sounded a bit startled as he innocently scratched his head. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't really talk to Clare as much as I talk to you, heh. She's more of an 'actions speak louder than words' type of woman."

He never failed to ruin perfect moments with his lame sense of humor.

"It's quite alright. I knew very well that I had no place in your relationship, but I really tried, so I can at least give myself that."

That statement finally made it come back to her. Was she going to tell him about her earlier actions, or did he already know?

"Hey, when you were sleep, did you feel anything weird?"

"Like what?"

"Like you were doing something that you really wanted to do, with someone you really liked, but you weren't really sure what you were doing, yet you enjoyed it anyway?"

"...Oh... I uhh, *swallows*, I had a pretty lucid dream about Clare. It's probably best if no one found out."

He was such a charming feller that she couldn't tell if he was trying to play dumb or legitimately had no clue. It was better if she just left it at that.

"Cool, I guess."

The silence had the courtesy this time to not show his ugly mug. So Raki spoke in it's absence.

"I think we should be getting back to the others now, don't you? We don't want them getting any ideas..."

Her usual expression was back on her face by now. She was beaming with happiness. Finally, she was able to let her mixed up emotions come to surface.

That was really all that she was looking for.

Leaving the makeshift bench, they bgan walking back home. However, halfway through, Cynthia had gotten gutsy enough to ask Raki a small favor that she believed was well deserved.

"Could you, like, do me a solid?"

*Nods* He hadn't even looked over to her.

"Close your eyes and stand still."

"Uhh I don't know why, but if that makes you happy"

*Hugs*

The hug was a very special brand. The kind of hug you could only get from a very special kind of person. It lasted for what seemed like an eternity...

It was probably like 2 minutes or something...

"Okay. Let's go, buddy."

She had quite the smile.

~After a long walk back home~

Clare walked back and forth in her room, biting her lip with her arms crossed. A little worried. It had to be her sixth sense. She had always had a sixth sense about Raki. It's what helped her believe he was still alive after 7 years. It was what made her leave the cacoon. It was a pretty good sense to have too. She was relieved to see that he made it back with a good, trustworthy friend like Cynthia.

Cynthia had caught her alone.

"Oh hey, Clare"

"Hello, Cynthia. Where is Raki?"

"He's uhh... Sleep. Oh yeah, I meant to tell you something about him."

"What?"

"I uhh... we... uhh..."

"You what?"

Clare looked like she was going to bite her lips off.

"You're really lucky clare. That is all I meant to say"

Cynthia was smarter than she looked.

"Thank you. I was worried you had did something that I wouldn't allow"

"... Oh yeah and I kind of kissed him a little. Oh and hu-

... gged him a little. Just a little." She spoke extremely quickly, almost inaudible.

"Excuse me, but what did you just say?"

With that Cynthia vanished from Clare's sight. It was good to have some closure.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**:Wow, man I forgot about this thing lol. Oh yeah, and for plot efficiency I'm going to have to pull a bullshit moment and pretend like Priscilla is still alive. I know she should be dead at the end, but we'll just pretend for the sake of this fic. Clare x Raki is still going to be the reoccurring theme though.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Claymore verse

Chapter 4: Raftela- Don't worry

It was a beautiful day outside. All the little trainees were out trying to catch fireflies, the warriors were enjoying some nice and well deserved rest, and everyone was having an alright time. They had no need for heavy armor nor the huge blades from which their names were derived from. It was a festive evening and everyone had at least something to talk about to anyone willing to listen. Panning around the environment, you could see nothing but content faces. All except for one woman.

She was a frail figure, and her face looked so gloomy. You could almost see a dark cloud above her head as she stood at the sidelines, and her armor was still very much intact. A true buzz kill. It was as if every Claymore who had approached her left feeling nothing but loneliness. It wasn't the acerbic "Oh my gosh life sucks" kind of loneliness, it was the sympathetic "Awww, bless your poor little soul" type of loneliness. She was the Claymore equivalent of that child who was home schooled. She lacked basic understanding of emotions, but deep down inside, she felt them clawing at her heart. They just wanted a release, and they got a taste of that during the fall of the Organization.

Growing up Raftela had no friends. She didn't even know such a word existed, and even if she had, the chances of her grasping the concept of the word would be very slim. It was fairly sad to watch her stare from a distance as warriors played and laughed. She could barely mingle with her peers. There had to be someone who could help her in such a dire situation...

...And just like that...

"Hey you. Why are you standing over here all alone? Go out and live a little" Said the voice of a young man from behind the warrior.

"Hmm? Are you talking to me?" Raftela queried, sounding a bit shocked.

"Who else would I be talking to? The wind"

"You might as well be, because even that should be more than enough to replace me..."

She looked down, a bit sadder than she was before. Which was no small feat.

"Oh brother, I was going to ask you for your name bu-" Raki rolled his eyes chuckling.

"Why? It is a name that you will soon forget anyways."

"Oh my, I totally did not see that coming."

"What do you mean?" It looked as if her expression changed a little, but you really couldn't tell.

"I mean all of you Claymores try that crap with everyone, but it just doesn't work like that with me girl."

"I would've never known how a Claymore was, because, if you didn't know already, I never got to join my comrades. Not until it was very late."

And then it dawned on him

"Oh yeah, I remember you. You were the one who I ran into inside that place with all the trainees. How'd you like being forced into a hug by my super loli harem?"

Not a laugh. Not a smile. Not a grunt. Not even indignation. Just... sadness...

"Okay. I get it. I'm not the best comedian around, and maybe my material does need some work, but you could at least give me some feedback." Raki honestly sounded offended. Why do people not laugh at this gold?

"No, it's not that. It's just... I don't understand what you mean."

"Good. For a moment there I thought I wasn't that funny."

Raftela tilted her head away from him in order to hide her disinterest at his crap humor. It had not gotten past him though, as he scowled slightly before smiling as friendly as he could.

"By the way, my name is-"

"RAKI!"

Interrupted by a very vital voice

"Hello Clare"

Clare had always had a shocking sixth sense. It's what made her find the boy in the desert. It's what made her decide to run away from the once blood thirsty Ophelia. It was a very good sense to have.

"Are you okay? Did she hurt you? Is she trying to make you do things?"

"Ummm... no. I came to her. She looked a bit lonely and I-"

"Ahhh good to hear. Don't make me worry so much..." Clare's face showed heavy relief, clearly happy "We should be going to our rooms now, Raki. It's getting dark..."

"It's barely evening Clare."

"I said, it's getting dark..."

It's better that he doesn't question any of her motives, and he'd probably be missing out if he had. So with that final statement he and Clare walked off into the sunset in their usual side by side manner, only this time he was the taller figure. Raftela couldn't help but stare as he walked away. Not only was he nice, but he actually wanted to talk to her, and he wasn't trying to poke her with a stick (Nice innuemdo, Referring to the Organization's men).

Raftela had not thought about it too long before deciding to go to her quarters. It had been a long day and being so sad uses up so much gas. She needed a quick refueling.

Her eyes were closed closely but loosely as she lie dreaming her usual dreams of being a 'comrade'. Except this time she was not alone. She had a companion with her.

'Raki... what a fitting name...'

-In the interest of time-

The shards of light piercing her eyes like glass signaled that morning had come. Another day of walking around with the melancholy look that she had permanently ingrained in her facial structure. It was a grim fate indeed, and not very fun.

She walked through the fields with the armor still clad and heavy on her. Stepping on the beautiful flowers blooming, crushing countless little aphid lives. She almost stepped on a caterpillar until it had caught her eye. It was a beautiful little creature. So very fascinating. She bent over to pick it up and move it out of her path, but it insisted on crawling up her finger.

Then up her hand.

Then up her arm.

Then on her shoulder.

Then in her hair.

Alright Mr. Caterpillar it's time to get down.

She tried to put it down when she was hit by a fast moving object, effectively dropping her little admirer.

"Owwwwiiiee" The voice of a child said through sounds of pain.

Raftela ignored the voice, as she was too busy looking for Mr. Caterpillar trying to ensure he hadn't been squashed. No signs of him.

"Cool, it's you again."

The familiar voice had managed to snap her attention.

"Hey, don't cry. All you did was rough yourself up a little bit. You've been through much worse."

"*Sniff* Yeah but... *Sniff* her body is so sturdy and *sniff* she's weird..."

Raftela looked over to see Raki comforting a small trainee. One of the youngest actually.

"Sorry about that lady, heh. We were playing tag actually and I guess she was too excited." Raki said trying to down play the fact that the child had called her weird.

It had not worked very well. It could've been how she just lost her current object of interest, or how she realized that all the trainees must've thought she was weird.

Whatever the case may be, it had made her return back to her normal state.

So sad. So very very sad.

Raki sent the little trainee back to base, but he stayed to talk to Raftela.

"Are you alright?" He asked, obviously concerned.

"..."

"I really want to get to know you, so I'm not giving up. No time soon."

"..."

"We can do this all day."

"Tell me something Raki..."She asked eventhough her expression remained unchanged.

"Why do you care enough to follow me?"

"Because you look like you need a friend. You're so lonely it's making me lonely. I saw something special in you during our escape, but you just needed a little acceptance to let it shine through."

Raki hadn't expected her to give in that easily, but it was okay in the end

"Th-thank you..." Raftela said with a slight change of facial structure.

"You're very welcome." Raki replied with his usual heart breaker smile, leaving her feeling an unknown feeling that rippled up from her lower abdomen, into her lungs, and finally out of her mouth.

"Well I should be on my way now...

"Before you go, we should probably agree that this will be our super secret hang out spot. That way I can further continue my history lessons from you, kay?"

"Umm, yeah. I don't see why not."

She tried to smile. It was just... not working out too well to say the least. It looked like she was in some discomfort. More like pain. It was very funny, but for the sake of her self esteem, Raki had not laughed.

She turned around and waved goodbye, and was off with her journey once more.

"See you later, Raftela!"

That caught her attention pretty quickly as she made sure he had not found out her name.

"How do you know my name?"

"It's written on the inside of your uniform silly."

How could have known that? It was in such an obstructed place. A place meant to be sat on.

"There's no way you could've known that Raki... what did you do to me" She asked as she inched towards her Claymore.

"It's not a good idea to bend over in tight clothing, my friend!" Raki shouted before heading quickly in the opposite direction.

Luckily for her he had no view of the horribly red face she sported, as well as the "sort of okay" smile the situation had caused...

Priscilla's yoki had been detected causing trouble in the west where riful once lay. Clare and a select group of (fodder) Claymore have decided to go give Priscilla what karma has been intending to.

"I'm sorry Raki, but I have to go search for her again... I owe this to someone I hold very dear to me."

Raki pleaded. He bargained so hard. He even offered to serve as live bait, but Clare denied him.

"Please Clare, it doesn't have to be this black and white. We'll find a way, and I can stay by your side forever an-"

But Clare had made up her mind. Nothing could stop her from completing this certain task.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be..."

She turned away, tears bubbling in her eyes the same way they had been when she reunited with the poor boy.

In an effort to hide his heartbreakage, he fought back his tears and tried to look tough by flaunting his muscles. Needless to say, he looked pretty silly.

"Okay Clare... Stay alive like you promised, Got it?"

He fashioned a smile that showed sincerity, and attempted come to terms with his fate...

"... Got it."

She had not wanted to turn around. She just felt like leaving and getting it over with, but Raki was too important for that. Spinning around very swiftly, she gripped at him in a caring embrace. The same one she had given to Teresa all those years ago. He returned the favor with a hug of his own, just like the one from their reunion. Tight, warm, and secure. Clare could stand there forever, Raki wished he could stand there forever, but both knew that there was a time and place for such things.

She held up the mission by atleast 30 minutes.

**A/N: **Ha, yeah Clare has to go. I love her too, but it would be waay too weird to have Raki going around messing with girls under her nose. That's sleezy and ruins his whole character that i'm trying to portray lol. It makes things alot easier to call him second best and make her skip town until later when it's her turn.


	5. Chapter 5

*If you notice any grammatical errors/Typos/Issues please try and ignore them. Better yet, just tell me so I can fix it. This story was a bit long for my phone and I really didn't proof read it at all. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own Claymore. I wish I did though.

Raftela the beautiful

That night, Raki had sulked himself to sleep. The same went for every night. It was agonizing. He had just lost the one person he would die for and cried in front of a bunch of chicks. Maybe the large amounts of estrogen surrounding him had been rubbing off.

"Hey kid, why are you looking so dim?"

The voice of Helen had made him get out of the fetal position.

"Get up boy. Your hair is a complete mess and you've been wearing that shirt for two weeks." She pinched her nose and grabbed Raki be the arm, coaxing him to his feet.

He had not done anything besides eat, sleep, and moan ever since Clare's departure. He probably smelled like a boar.

Which would explain why Helen had brought him to the nearest river with fresh new clothes and a comb. However, he had no idea why she brought herself along. Complete with new clothes too.

"I need a bath too buddy, don't get your hopes too far up. There are some places I can't reach that I'm sure you can, and it's a lot easier just to kill to birds with one stone." Helen said, reading the look off of his face.

"But Helen. Don't you have stretchy arms?" Raki asked.

"Yeah, So? They get tangled up."

"You could've gotten Deneve, or any other Claymore for that matter. You don't need me to-"

Helen had kicked him into the river before he could finish speaking or take his clothes off.

She was running out of excuses and time.

He came back up from submergence without his clothing and was greeted to the site of Helen's scarred torso. The rest of her was covered by the river water.

"Good. Now we need to get this over with fast. You're little friend, No. 10, was asking for you a while back." She said while handing him the towel. If anyone was getting first dibs, it was her. So Raki just did as he was supposed to.

"No. 10?"

"The sad-sack. She was the one who received personal training from the organization, never once getting a chance to experience the jewels of being a regular Claymore. I think her name was Raftela or something..."

Raki stopped, genuinely feeling sorry for Raftela. Remembering back to when she was targeted by her own people, and when she apologized for turning against her own kind.

Helen nudged him to continue his administrations before letting out a series of content sighs.

"Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies..." Were the last coherent and understandable words that she muttured before the end of the transaction.

The afternoon wind shot through the grass, blowing up pollen. The scent of wonderful flowers could be inhaled into the nostrils. It was great to be in the field.

To be able to smell the fruits of nature, God's canvas. The masterpiece that was earth. It was very great indeed.

Raftela sat there, alone in the field. Waiting patiently, playing with the pedals and lady bugs. They were so courageous. Crawling on her fingers every time she put it close to one. She could've easily pressed down and squished out it's innards.

Then she smelled a familiar smell. It smelled of the warm summer breeze with a hint of freshness.

Curious to see what the odor came from, she turned to Raki standing right behind her.

Extremely close to her.

"How long have you been out here?" He asked, with that smile that created quakes in her chest.

"About 3 hours today. About 200 counting everything." She said, slowly stepping out of the close encounter.

"Sorry, I have had a bit of an issue in the last two weeks and uhh, I was a bit stuck helping a friend this morning. I hope you don't think I was blowing you off or anything."

"..."

Man, this was getting pretty weird for him, so he had lightened the mood in Raki fashion.

"I sure wish I could have me some blow me off..."

This guy is just awful at this.

"What do you mean, 'blow me off'?"

Then it hit him. What he meant to say was that he wished he had someone there to blow him off, as in Clare, but no one was even there. Meaning it was impossible to be ignored by someone who is absent. However, his curse/gift of being the most mood crashing individual in a 1,000 mile radius had made it sound like some cheap innuendo.

"No no no! I meant ignore! I wish someone were there to ignore me!" Raki apologetically stammered as he waved his hands in front of him.

She didn't understand what he meant either way, so she innocently asked again.

"I don't understand. Is it good to be 'blown off' or not?"

Raki let out a whiff of air and wiped the sweat off of his forehead. He had forgotten that she was never exposed to such dirty things due to having no connection to the outside world. Just barely dodging what probably would've been a horrifying situation.

"Uhh, it's not important right now" He tried to change the subject as fast as possible, and he had almost done so...

"Well, when will it be important?" She really wanted to know. If it was enough to make Raki sweat, it should be important right?

"When will what be important?" Raki said.

"The 'blowing' of the 'off'." She replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Raftela was a bit confused. Actually, she was extremely confused. Luckily for Raki, her face was the best way to read her mood. That meant that based on the subtle changes in her expression, his plan was a success. Finally, his daft understanding of the female psyche paid off.

Now to solidify the change of the topic.

"I uhhh... I heard about your time as a warrior a while back, and I gotta say, I'm interested to learn more about you, Raftela."

Raftela's confusion would have to subside, as more interesting things were coming about. She wondered where he had heard about her past, but she wondered even more why anyone would care. Especially a human. So much thinking needs to be done...

Her silent mental calculations made the distance between them even more delicate. Raki felt that distance needed some cushioning, so he spoke up again.

"I understand if you don't want to share such personal information. We've only known each other for a couple of weeks an-"

"Don't worry. I plan on telling you. I'm just not used to any non-claymores having such interest in me."

Another shift in her facial arrangement had caught Raki's attention. It was a bit of a strange one. Her eyes had slightly widened and he could see the tiny traces of a smile beginning to start in corners of her glossy pink lips. His eyes had been so focused on her for so long that they began to stray from just her face. From the strands of her long slick hair to her armored feet, he let his eyes absorb the beauty radiating from her body. He noticed she had long, slender, yet shapely legs. They began at her hips, which had substantial curves.

Her body had awoken the battle all men face every now and again. Big man's common sense, or little man's "common sense". Big man rarely won.

_'Stop staring you deviant!'_

_**'Shhhh, go away sissy. You need this more than I do buddy. Feast upon it'**_

_'I don't know if she would like being mentally undressed by some guy she met a few weeks ago, but excuse me for caring.'_

'_**Geez, if you're gonna be such a little girl about it, just go away. Now, I'm going to see what's going on with that face of hers. You just sit back and keep your thoughts to yourself 'Raki''**_

Raki admitted that having arguments with one's self was kind of "off" while letting his eyes work their way up from her chest. The first thing thing he saw was the frontal portion of her chin. Another notch upwards were her lips. Yet another was her nose. One more notch was her gorgeous eyes.

He looked down to her lips, which were moving, but no sound escaped them. Then, as he sobered up to reality, he could hear tuned out muffled noises invading his ear canals. They started to get more and more recognizable as he came to, and in a soft, familiar feminine voice he heard something call his name it.

"Raki? Raki!"

"Huh?" It didn't take him long to realize who'se voice it was.

"Were you listening to me just now? Did you hear what I asked you?"

"Ummm...These damn flies keep buzzing near my head! I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you what you were saying." He said while falsely waving his hands and arms around his face, attempting to thwart the pesky (imaginary) nuisances.

He was such a convincing fellow.

"Oh. Well I asked you where it was that you want me to begin with?"

"Start from the very moment you could remember one is waiting on me. I have all day."

"Well... I don't remember much of myself outside of being a warrior. I was an orphan with no family, that's how the Organization was able to use me in such a manner."

"You're an orphan? I am too, in a way." He told her, trying to get her to connect with him. "I was also a slave at one point. Could you believe that?"

From the words they shared, they began to pour more and more of themselves out. Feeding each other great amounts of knowledge. They got to learn more and more about each other. Connecting their issues.

Raftela told him about her life of training for the sole purpose of disposing her comrades. She never had a friend, nor an enemy. It came with it's ups, like not having to get her hands dirty with yoma due to always being at the Organization. As well as not worrying about awakening and black cards and such. However, it's downs were not strictly business like her ups were. She had no mind of her own. She was trained to do as told. Never being able to live as a human would. Never being able to experience the joys, the pains, the fears. She only allowed herself to feel sadness. Just another tool for them to use until it's worthless life was snuffed out. Then they'd replace her. That's how things went around there. She needn't even worry abount black cards either way it went. No one would take it. She had no one.

When the Organization was attacked, her soul guided her actions. The spirit of the warrior who came in ready to fight, and the resolve to not kill another comrade at the expense of her own life was enough of a push to kickstart her human heart. Eventhough it almost cost her life, it was for a greater cause. She just wanted to be human. Even when she was on the verge of death she pushed on. If it hadnt't been for Raki and the girls' intervention, she probably wouldve either died or been finished off by the Organization's men. Even at Rabona, where she just left, she fought to protect humanity's essence against the evil that is yoma kind.

Raki tried as much as he could to help her ease her troubled spirit. He told her about the loss of his family right before his eyes and his uselessness. He was saved by She-who-will-not-be-named and his vow to get stronger in order to protect her, although he was starting to think it was all for nothing. His vow to stay by her side, but he was regretting that too. He told her about his 7 years away from her, and their promise to meet each other again, and their reunion. The hardest part was telling her about how he was tossed aside for petty revenge. While it was not an official end to their relationship, losing your sweetheart in less than a few hours felt like shit.

They were so comfortable that they hadn't noticed their backs laying on the soft ground, facing the sky. However, they did notice that they had been talking all day and it was pitch black outside. The only light was the stars that twinkled up above in the vast reaches of the universe.

"I had a great day because of you Raki" Raftela commented, uncharacteristically breaking the ice.

"Me too, Raftela" Raki responded.

He looked over to Raftela, and, to his surprise, she was looking back at him. She was sporting what looked to be a proper smile. It actually made him smile too. He bet if she really wanted to, she could rip a man's heart out with her smile.

And just like that, Raki's awkward effect started to come about.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

"I should be going home now. I'm tired and hungry... and I need to piss."

"Piss?"

"Urinate or whatever..."

Raki's statement had reminded Raftela of an interaction she had with Helen earlier when she came asking for Raki before she left to the fields.

Raftela was asking around for him when Helen had over heard her speaking. Now, if a Claymore was interested in catching a man, then Helen was all they needed to go to for advice. Okay, so maybe she was all they had to go to, but that changed nothing, right?

Anyway, as Raftela was walking to the fields, Helen caught her on the slide.

"Psssttt* You."

Raftela, not understanding, motioned towards herself and mouthed the word "Me?"

"Yeah, you. Come here!" Helen hissed while gesturing her to come around the corner she was peeking from.

Raftela did as was instructed.

"So I heard you were trying to get a piece of Clare's left overs, huh?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me. Raki. Probably the hottest man dime I've ever seen. I usually don't lower my standards enough to accept sloppy seconds, but give me the chance to sit on his face and I'm definitely taking it!"

"What are you even..."

Sloppy seconds? They weren't eating a meal, so what was she talking about? She also didn't think either party would enjoy some "Face sitting" neither. That sounded really uncumfortable.

"Uh-huh, anyways, since you've beat me to the punch, I'll be a good sport and share a few tips with you. Ready?"

"I'm not sure if I th-"

"Nonsense. It's nothing really. No really, It's nothing. Your opinion means nothing to me. I'm telling you even if you don't like it."

Raftela simply nodded. She could've made Helen think about her getting her head slammed into a tree, or being trapped in a room and tied to a chair with Raki and Clare on a night in spring. However, she might need these "tips".

"Okay, here. No. 1 blah blah blah blah blah blah etc. etc"

To be honest she tuned out of most of the rubbish Helen had told her, but something caught her.

"No. 134: In the event Raki says he needs to go pee, pee means urinate girl, offer to hold his wee wee and he'll be like 'Yeah cool let me hold yours too' and you guys will-... and then you can... Make sure you wash your hands before you

... And never eat chicken at the... only on sunday..."

Raftela's face was pretty flushed...

"If you need anymore advice on your dates, catch me on the flipside." Helen left with that, clicking her tongue and winking. Only to come back hurredly and grab a towel.

"What's a date? And where are going in so quickly?" Raftela asked

"I need a little bathing done before anything happens today. You should be getting to the your destination. Byyyyyeee!" Helen shouted while running at a fast pace into the distance, ignoring her question.

Back in the present, Raftela did as instructed.

"Umm... Raki... If your going to go urinate... Do you ehh.. mind if I..."

"If you what?" Raki replied.

"...If I hold your genitals while you evacuate your bladdar?"

Atleast it wasn't his fault this time.

"What the hell do you th- I mean... I don't think that would be necessary. Although I am curious where you got the notion from."

"Helen."

'It was worth a shot' Raftela thought

"Thanks. I'll walk you home." Raki stated.

Raki held out his hand for her to grasp. It was only gentlemanly to walk a woman home after a night out.

When they made it to her quarters, Raki gave her and nice hug and pat. She gave him a blank stare and a soul gripping smile, but she needed to ask him another question.

"Raki, was that a 'date'?"

"That's the closest I've ever been to a formal one to me, so sure." He honestly was amazed. In just two weeks he won the heart of an emotionally unstable amazonian.

"Okay. Then meet me again tomorrow."

"Alright. I promise." He smiled again, leaving her breathing in skips and jumps.

So they parted ways.

Until the next day.

Then they left again, only to come back the next day.

Then the next day.

And the one after that.

And for every consecutive day for the next 14 months they met at the fields to laugh and talk.

They weren't only at the fields together. They went to the merchants together. They ate together. They left to the woods together. They were almost always together. Borderline inseperable.

Except for the fact that they still had different Quarters. That presented quite an issue, as Raki had to walk in the other direction of the field to get home after walking her home.

So to solve the problem, Raki moved in with her. His room was used as a storage shack. Now they shared a home together. A pretty nice one too, when he fixed it up with actual furniture. They even shared the same bed together.

Now, usually they would hug, pat, and smile like always. However, 15 months is a long time, and practically every other Claymore thought they were "Going steady", so to speak. So a simple hug, pat, and smile was a little weak compared to every other aspect. Even if they felt as if it was enough, they even agreed. They might as well be "more than friends". Yet neither of them had the guts to come out and admit that they are extremely attracted to the other. It was pent up sexual frustration at it's finest.

Someome needed to get this out of the way.

"Raki! Could you please stop making such a mess in the kitchen!" Raftela screamed, agitated at her own agitation towards Raki.

"Well, maybe if you could cook a decent meal I wouldn't need to be in the kitchen all the time!" Raki bellowed, angry at himself more than anyome else.

"Is that why you're sleeping on the couch tonight?" Raftela said with the final word right around the corner.

Funny thing is...

...They were in the same bed. They just started screaming at each other for the hell of it.

"I'm not leaving this bed, woman." Raki's voice was filled with steel. He was determined to win last word.

"Fine then, I'll sleep on the couch you selfish bastard!" Raftela stormed out of the room. Raki took a moment to soak in her bottom at she stomped out of the room. It was nice to see her out of her armor. He never noticed her perfect thigh gap.

Despite himself, he was going to get the last say if it killed him

"Not if I get ther first!"

"Fine then I'll go outside!"

"Then that's where I'm going!"

This was seriously pissing off Raftela.

"Stop following me around! No wonder Clare left you, you manish beast!"

Serious enough to drop a "She-who-will-not-be-named" bomb.

"How dare you say that name around me..." Raki clinched his fists.

The tension is thick enough to cut by now.

"Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare Clare!"

"THAT'S IT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE, WOMAN!"

Raki lunged himself at her, and luckily for him, he had no yoki to manipulate, he proceded to hold her in a restraining type hold. He also had no yoki.

Smacked by the mighty right hand of an agitated hybrid female Raki flew into the door, knocking it open, and falling down. He was on the floor looking up, about to get stomped into mashed potatoes, when he decided to resort to dirty fighting. A hard kick to her shins sent her falling on top of him. They struggled with each other, he tried to restrain her arms and calm her down, she was going to rip his stupid spine out of his back. So, in order to pin them to her sides, he wrapped his arms around her all the way down the small of her back. She needed to get access to that spine of his, so she placed her hands on his back and felt around a bit. They were so close they could feel each others breath on their lips. What an irritating and itchy feeling!

And someone need to close one anothers' mouth.

Arms are kind of buisy here...

They just had to improvise. She placed her mouth over his in order to shut him up, and stuck her tongue in to make sure she couldn't gag him. He had to stop her from breathing on his lips, and used his tongue in defense of hers.

For ten whole minutes they struggled.

Raki managed to get up and make it to the couch. She came in, hot on his trail, closing the door begind her.

And locking it.

He had to get his shirt off. It was burning up and they would get all sweaty.

He also just washed her leotard. That needs to be off too. Now, It isn't fair if all her clothes come off and his aren't so she pulled his off.

Before he could say a word, he needed to shut her up. Her mouth was barely enough, as his tongue countered most of the throat gagging she had planned, so she was going to smother him between her legs this time. Couple that with her intense wetness and should slowly drown.

Slowly murdering the poor sap felt extremely pleasurable.

He'd be damned if he died on a couch, so he brought to the room. If they were going to kill the hell ouy of each other, then he was going to make one last ditch effort.

He nibbled her neck, and his hands cupped her chest. He could feel her trying to poke holes in his palms, so he tried to remove the firmly planted pokers off of her chest.

He could feel her giving up, as her body was collapsing and shaking violently. Now to start the repeated stabbing and crashing of her pelvic muscles. This was his favorite part, he was going to destroy her.

Her screams could be heard out in the field even. The neighbors probably thought the couple were just two sadists or mososchists.

In a grand finale of spasmic muscle contractions, sweaty contorted bodies, and horrifyingly pleasurable sensetivity, the couple finally gave up. Every last fuel exhausted. Any pent up pleasures were released. They could only hold each other and sleep.

Raftela managed to speak through her breaths

"You... manish beast..." Were her final words before going to sleep.

Later on that day she was resting atop Raki's chest.

"Raki... How much are you attracted to me?" Raftela asked, breaking the ice yet again.

"I think I'm in love with you..." He responded kissing her on the forehead.

"In love?"

" You honestly don't know what love means? I'll tell you when I get back. Oh yeah, don't ask Helen, I'm going to go buy a few sandwiches from

some deli. You stay here and rest" So Raki got up and left to do his task.

A few minutes after he left Helen happened to be passing by when Raftela caught her on the "flipside".

"What does 'In love' and 'blow off' mean?"

Raftela asked covered in an oversized shirt.

"Where did you get that shirt and those words from?" Helen replied, mouth agape.

"Raki to both" Raftela looked so innocent.

Too bad Helen wouldn't let that fly.

She grinned ominously.

"In love means he doesn't care about you. It means he's only using you for a house and a place to get rocks off, and he thinks you have a horrible hair style. Blow me? Well that means..." She whspered the rest in Raftela's ear before leaving. Smiling evily.

Raftela's face was beet red with overflowing feelings.

When Raki returned all of his stuff was outside. He barely dodge the huge sword if his aimed straight at his head.

"What the hell Raftela?" Raki exclaimed dodging furniture.

"Helen told me what those words you neglected to tell me were. Get out! Never come back!" She shrieked through sobs.

"And take your stupid shirt you... you... asshole!" She tore the shirt to bits and tossed it at him.

'Should've known this was going to happen... and how'd she learn what asshole meant?' He thought.

"Can't we talk-"

"No!"

"Just let me-"

"NO! You used me, You... Dog!"

A Claymore obliterated the tree behind him. That was enough to make him grab his things and go back to his quarters for fear of his life.

However, when he returned, it had been destroyed and there was a note carved in the wall.

_'To Raki: I hope you like being 'In love' with some emo you met under a tree while I struggled just to kiss you, you asshole. Good job playing with my heart. If you didn't like me, and you were just leading me on, you could've told me. _

_Oh _

_P.S- I humped you when you were asleep. You still weren't that amazing._

_Fuck you-_

_Cynthia'_

"..."

And that day Raki left to Rabona, to have a fresh start. Too many bad memories.

**A/N: **Heh, I actually enjoyed writing this one. Sorry it took me so long though. Got school and stuff you feel me? I actually have been trying to model some of Raki's relationships after my own modern problems. We can all relate.

Claymore chapter 142- Let's all have a moment of silence for cute ass Clarice :(...

That really puts a damper on my story lol. I have something planned for Miata so she's not alone.

R.I.P Color head.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Claymore.

Chapter 6- Living the dream. Literally.

It was sad. So sad. Raki left so many precious memories behind when he left the base. It was for the best however. There was just no way he could continue existing in that place. He fell for a girl who ended up hating him (Via outside corruption of course), and had another destroy his property simply because they weren't meant to be. If he had stayed any longer, his head might have been severed from his neck.

Now, Raki was a young man. He did things the way young men would do. He acted the way young men would act. That's why it should be of no surprise that upon entering Rabona, he went straight to the pub. His friends were there, and he got a few drinks on the house. No such thing as a downside to a situation like this.

"It's good to see you guys again." Raki said, slurring a bit in his speach. He had not gone to the edge, but he did have a pretty solid amount of alcohol.

"What brings you to Rabona? It must be an urgent matter to pull you away from Clare." Sid said, not knowing the impact his words had on Raki's heart.

"Well... Me and Clare are through for now. No worries. I guess I just needed a fresh place to start. A place with regular ol' humans just like you and I, y'know? Maybe I'll find a nice HUMAN gal and settle down." Raki took another swig while speaking.

"Well I hate to break it to you Raki, bu-"

Galk looked at Sid, steel in his gaze, signaling him not to continue his little bubble bursting reply. He wasn't much of a talker at times like this, but he knew when a man just needed a break from life.

"But what?" Raki said.

"Oh, nothing. I was just making pointless rambles is all... So... How long do you plan on staying down here in the holy city?"

"I honestly have no idea..."

It wasn't too good of a thought for Raki just to leave on a whim, with no plans or outlines. He hadn't even gotten himself a place to crash yet. However, he needn't worry. He had connections.

"Well, do you need a place to stay? We can find you a nice house, but of course you'll have to pay for such luxuries."

"I'm ahhh... in between jobs at the moment..."

He actually never had a formal "job". He actually never had a formal anything. His income as a child came from Clare and Isley (Which they had heaps of), and as an adult he would just wack a few unlucky yoma. He certainly didn't have enough education for high tier jobs. He could barely remember the last time anyone taught him anything other than how to swing a sword.

Quite a simple fellow, but very perceptive and sharp.

"Hey Galk you hear that! The poor man is broke!" Sid laughed.

"This simply will not do, my friend. Any man with big arms can swing a sword, and any man with a broad back can pull a cart, but only a man with a strong heart and deep thoughts could live a life free of worries."

"Wow, you touched my heart Sid. When did you get such a way with words?"

"Spend as much time around orphans as us, and you'll understand why we speak this way." Galk said, finally opening his mouth.

"We try to not make anymore beggars, thieves, bandits, or crooked merchants."

Raki smiled, as he was proud to have such humble men as friends.

"With that being said, we'll help you get on your feet. We know this inn where you can stay at no cost for a few months until you get a job." Sid said.

"Could you guys get me a job? I was actually thinking about joining the royal guard."

Galk looked over at Sid, who looked back at him. Sharing nervous expressions.

"Ehhh, we're not too keen on you joining the guard. You're much too valuable to let die, and besides, there are a few people we'd rather you not meet." Sid added.

"Nonsense, no yoma can ever hope of besting me one on one. No man either. Just look at how huge my sword is."

"Yeah, and we appreciate the notion, but it's for the best if we just leave it at that. We'll get you a nice job sooner or later. Just don't go near the cathedral or the barracks without telling us first, got it?"

"...Got it..."

Raki drunk his final glass and contemplated what his next move should be. He looked around, feeling a bit light headed. The orbs in his head scanned the room, darting from left to right in swift brown and white blurs. Collecting data for his mind to make use of. Peeking around he saw a table used for some sort of saloon game, a few drinkers who hadn't known when it was one too many, and the faces of multiple happy customers.

One face had caught his wandering eyes.

She had eerily familiar, yet stunning golden locks. Her eyes were works of art. They had the most amazing eyelashes he had ever seen on a woman, and they were a soul piercing blue with wonderful little green and hazel flecks. Her nose was perfect. Almost as perfect as her mouth watering lips. Glossy and pink, almost red even, reflecting the light of the illuminated tavern. To top off all of incredible aesthetics was her well proportioned body. The shape of her face went well with the humps, swirls, and valleys of her figure as she sat at the table.

He couldn't stop staring at her hair though. What was it about her hair? It looked as if it had given her angelic wings to suit her celestial beauty, or the crown of a queen in a distant world.

"Hey Raki, could you tell us why you left again exactly? We need to know in order to get you this place." Sid said in an attempt to break the web of awe Raki was entangled in. (They really didn't, but Raki sounded a bit out of tone with his earlier response)

"..." Raki responded

"Come on. We won't judge you." Galk added, eager to learn what could drive a man away from a bunch of attractive females like that.

It had to be an extreme reason. No man in his right mind, or his other right mind, or even his wrong mind would leave a place like that.

"Drama." Raki finally said. His face displaying the same emotion a stone would...

If it had a face of course.

OK, now they just had to know exactly what happened.

"Like what kind of drama. Be specific." They said in unison as they moved closer to Raki and handed him another, free, alcoholic mixture. Raki's initial action was to modestly decline and avoid the ominous heart wrenching path ahead.

Nevertheless, even the slighting thought of a silver eyed witch hit his heart like an arrow from the finest of archers. Against his better judgement, he took the mug and chugged it down with fierce passion.

"Well... it all started with Cynthia... see. I had been in the woods cutting down trees and building a nice secluded cabin for me and Cl-... you-know-who. Then out of the blue here comes Cynthia, telling me we needed to catch some food. Well I wanted to do as ordered, but this cabin was much more important. So I told her to simply help me put this log in place and we'd be on our way. However, she ended up knocking something over and knocking me out in the process, destroying the entire cabin."

There was a long silence.

The two warrior companions stared at Raki. Hungry for more information.

"Well? S'that it?"

Raki pushed his mug forward and pointed inside. Quickly understanding the request, they poured in the liquid and went back to staring.

"*BUUUUURRRPP! Alright, so I was knocked out and didn't remember much but walking home with her after she slapped the feelings out of my face. A few weeks later I meet this sad, quiet woman. She was little cold to me at first, but I won her attention in the span of a few days. Then you-know-who left me to go get revenge. I'm not going to be runner up for a girl I'm willing to die for!"

Raki slid the mug forward again, so they filled it to the rim this time, no interruptions needed.

"So I say goodbye to her and hug her for like thirty minutes... It was actually 29 minutes, 45 seconds, and the atmosphere was a little less than perfect, but I wasn't paying attention to that kind of stuff. Anyway, for the next few weeks I never left my room and cried myself into submission. I was woken up one day, had a bath with a naked woman, and forgot I had an appointment with Ms. Moody. I made it there and we started to fall for each other more and more everday after that slowly until I moved in."

Raki was going to put his hand on the mug when they had poured more of the alcohol in.

"So we fought, we boned, and then I got threw out on the streets. Turns out the lady I bathed with was the jealous type. I tried to go back home but Cynthia was angry because I didn't love her the way I loved other girls. She destroyed my house and confessed that she relieved her sexual desires on me while I was dreaming about a different woman, who I will not name."

Oooh cool, a full mug already.

"Then what?" They said.

Raki swallowed down the mug and wiped the remnants off rather lazily with one hand. He opened his mouth and raised his hand preparing to spill more information when his vision faded into black.

*SLAM****

Raki's face, meet counter top.

Before his hearing was reduced to the sound of the crashing waves in the ocean, he heard a familiar voice speak.

"At least he got laid, right?"

Then he was out of it.

In the dark corners of Raki's unconscious mind, he saw a face. It was one of natural unadulterated brilliance as it needed no cosmetics to show it's qualities. It was one of serene, yet uncontrollable passion. It was the only face that could make him feel pain deep down in his soul and still keep his undying affection. It was the face that belonged to a woman who's name was Clare.

As everything around him started to become clearer, he noticed he was in the desert that he met her in. The strong winds around him blowing sand into his eyes. Everything for miles around him was nothing but huge golden heaps of sediment. Dry and dusty.

She walked towards him, her short hair dancing with each sway of her hips. Although she was in one of her most vulnerable of conditions, her scar had not been ripped open like last time.

She brought out her hands and situated each one of her slender, feminine fingers between his considerably larger, and rougher fingers. Whatever Raki wanted to say wasn't going to be heard, for even as he spoke, no sound escaped. They just stood there, in silence.

He looked over to his right and saw yet another woman. She was very pleasing to gawk at, but he was occupied at the moment. The woman had long hair, and it, and her eyes, were that of a Claymore's. Bouncy waves of hair went down past her bare shoulders. She too was naked and bearing her stigma to full view. She stood by Clare and whispered something in her ear, prompting her to untangle her fingers away from Raki's. Clare's body morphed into that of a little girl's. She had long hair. Back length and of a darker brown. The little Clare walked to the unfamiliar female and wrapped her arms around her waist, the same way Raki wrapped his arms around an almost awakened Clare. The same embrace she had given him in their last physical encounter.

It made Raki's heart melt, as his lips cracked into a content smile. Happy to see such an emotionally fulfilled Clare.

He felt a hand grab his own. A strong yet gentle grasp that he knew quite well. It was that of his former ally. One that had used him, but had not forgotten his essence. She was the single most powerful being he had ever mingled with. Compassionate and cruel all at once, he knew deep down that this being was not as evil as others would suggest.

Something was off however, as she was at a size that he had never seen. She looked like an adult. He never realized how magnificently alluring she was. Probably because by the time he started noticing such features of a woman to full effect, she had reverted into a child much smaller than himself. Even Sid mistaked her to be his daughter. As an adult however, her beauty could decieve even him into not knowing what she truly was.

She firmly pressed her body into his. Taking long strokes of air into her nose as she absorbed his scent. It enticed a smile from her that gave him goosebumps.

Then she changed into her true form. A tall monsterous figure with crude wings protruding from It's back. She had not lost her glamorous face, but her hair turned wild, and a large horn shot from the top of her head. Her arms tapered down to huge vicious hands with claws, and her face displayed no feeling.

It was enough to send him on his rear end in fear.

He looked over to see where Clare had gone, but she was still there, holding what looked to be the severed head of the other woman. Tears ran down her cheeks as she turned back into an adult. When she looked up, her face was no longer the captivating phenomenom that had stricken his soul, but that of an unsightly race of creatures. The mouth widened, exposing the sharp crooked teeth. Her eyes now golden and her pupils thin. The very face he despised seeing.

He braced himself for whatever battle that was ahead, ready to choose sides at a moments time. However, there was no fight. The horned monstrocity took a few slow steps foward and grabbed Clare by her head with one hand, and used the other to take the head of the other female. Despite Clare's obvious struggle to keep it out of her hand, she took it away from her.

A strong gust of wind hit Raki's body as she flapped her wings and took off with the two. Raki followed, not wanting to leave Clare again. He ran as fast as he could to keep up, but they got farther and farther away. He could see Clare reach out to him in the distance. The tears from her face hitting his body like rain drops. He soon realized there was no hope and fell to his knees. Trying to fight back his own tears. He just wanted to be with Clare. He looked back into the sky, but nothing was there.

His vision was obstructed by the flying particles of sand. Then, out of no where, a clear path was created. The walls of floating earth forming a trail for him to follow, and he instinctively did as such. He saw the faces of Ophelia, Isley, and his family along the way. Each one bringing back memories he had never forgotten.

At the end of the trail was a statue of the twin godesses, Teresa and Clare. He looked down to see a chest. On the chest was Clare's symbol and a few words engraved into it.

It read:

_**'To truly be at peace with your soul, you must first contain your heart. Think of all of your longing desires and your deepest, and truest, emotions, and whisper them into this chest. You will no longer have to endure the painful burdens of a broken heart and a conflicted soul.'**_

He was so confused. He didn't really understand how whispering in a box would get him back to the only woman he was willing to die for. He actually thought this was pretty cliche and lame, but at this point he would do anything. So he did what the chest instructed.

Soon the earth below him started to tremble and the chest sunk into the ground. The huge statue began to crumble. A wicked sandstorm of an enormous magnitude swept though the land, obscuring his sight. He could hear soft chattering around him, but everything was dark. The chattering grew louder and louder until it turned into blatant screaming and yelling. Some were deep bellows, some were high pitched screaches, some were long drawn out groans. Soon they all began to coalesce and manifest themselves into the sound of Raki crying. When his visioned returned, he was no longer in the desert, but at the entrance of Doga, where he first met Clare. All that was there was His sword crossed with Clare's, both anchored in the ground, and her symbol engraved beneath them. He could not understand the meaning of this strange dream, but he didn't care for now. He grabbed both swords and walked off into the sunset in a similar fashion to Clare.

"Even if only in a dream, I will be at your side forever Clare. I only want to be with you. That is my reason for being." He said to himself as he headed in the direction the horned beast had flown.

And the dream goes on...

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Elsewhere, far away, Clare stirred in her sleep. Her companions watched anxiously, wondering what made her so restless.

If only they could see what Clare was dreaming about, then maybe they would understand what made her squirm in such a manner.

...

Then they heard her wimper _his _name.

It must be something they'd rather not hear, probably something explicit. If only they knew what kind of pain she was in. If they could ever feel the pain of a broken heart. The smashing reality of acceptance.

Clare had a similar dream to Raki's. Infact it was exactly the same. However she was looking down from the sky, as Raki faded farther away into the sand. Up into the clouds she went, through the highest of heights, and the farthest of reaches. They were never promised to touch land again. Even in her dreams, she was not allowed to see him again. Clare whispered her final goodbyes and thoughts. Sincerest and deepest, the truest feeling she could release, and she done with them what she had always done. She sealed them away. Far away from her heart and soul, but burried within them each. As long as she was away from him, she would never allow herself to relive those emotions again. For now, if only just now, Raki was nothing but a memory. It couldn't hurt her any longer.

**A/N: **Ahhh, Madman, sweet. Constructive essays ;). Glad to see that you enjoyed it brah, so thanks for such a well thought out and helpful response. I appreciate the reviews no lie. So I feel like I need to address those issues I suppose, because I honestly confused myself after you just posted that. Lucky I was on at the moment and trying to upload this chapter. So for a few points.

Tone: I want to make it serious, honestly, but I'll add a few heavily satirical chapters here and there so it doesn't get over bearingly serious you know? Like, I know you've read some on here where you're like "Why is he/she taking this so damn serious?". I try to avoid that with a little comedy yadda yadda. Overall though, when I get the ball rolling and the other things pick up, I'll make them more closer to the tones of chapters 1-3. Possibly even more serious. However, it's hard to throw in modern relationship issues in a series about some middle age era, ya feel? So I have to use references to not look goofy, while I know it's an oxymoron, because it is goofy as hell. I'll make the next chapter much more serious. Promise, just for the ones who like genuine tones.

Random time jumps: I get really bored making these lol. At most I've spent probably 4 hours on the one last chap. I usually psyche myself out and go "Whoa, It's going to take so long to get so and so to come in and blah blah" So I just rush the pacing that isn't important so I can like, get on with this. I admit, that's awfully lazy, and takes away from quality time I could be using to develop people, and I apologize. I'll try not to do that anymore after this chapter. I also hate medium-long asschapters. I don't know if I'll ever surpass 6,000 words, but I keep pushing and pushing for more patience. In due time my friend. I'll learn ;).

Clare leaving: Not much to say, she just had to bounce. Couldn't have her in the way, but she's still the most important girl for him, So she'll be around eventhough she's not around.

Cynthia's little letter: He's going to have to face alot of angry females in this story, so I just said "Why not" and let him have it. Plus he needed to get to Rabona alone somehow.

Sidenote: I'm warning you in advance about my asspull moments though. If I accidently change my mind at the last minute, I might pull a loop hole up. Bump on the road, but I'll try to keep it flat and smooth.

To clarify: I'm trying to make each girl have a unique relationship with him, mostly modern ones. So some will be a lusty romp, some will be emotional, some will be heavily sexual or have heavy undertones etc. I'll try to get atleast eight girls, if possible. This chapters purpose was to try and erase the guilt that Raki would have to face if he interacted with anymore girls. In the long run he's still chasing after Clare, even if it is subconsciously. So I don't accindently make him look like a douche by "cheating". It's a better alternative than having Clare "cheat" first or just show him no affection.


	7. Dropping by

Dropping in

Loooooooollllll, I just read that last chapter. Not gonna spoil it, but I'm kind of surprised at the end. Wedges up my damn story... I'll just continue my hiatus when we know what happens... which could be a long time... In the event that it: A. Takes forever B. Ends happily ever after, or C. Trolls the hell out of us (again), I'll pick up where I left off. I already did like 2 chapters. Don't worry I've been writing. If not, and things go south, I'll just stop writing. He couldn't have trolled us any harder. I'm just waiting for new chaps, and this one is a monkey wrench. It's also funny as hell. At least he tried...

...

(Dumb ass)

Gotta find a place to discuss this.


End file.
